Belle was running late – something that never happened, something that shouldn't happen; but unfortunately, people tended to delay her on purpose. Today was no better.

The problem was that Belle wasn't cool; Belle liked to read; Belle liked to be educated; Belle liked to learn; and that just wasn't tolerated in high school.

Normally, she was strong enough to brush it off and take pleasure in her classes and books, but today was different. He was supposed to be her friend; he was the one person Belle had thought was her friend.

Between her anger and her hurried steps, Belle was called abruptly back to reality by a foot, and she tripped onto the ground, the large pile of books she'd been carrying spilling out in front of her.

"Watch it!" said a defensive girl as Belle brushed off her knees and began to pick herself up off the floor. Everyone kept walking past her; no one bothered to help … as usual.

"Sorry," she mumbled as the bell rang, and Aurora and Ella walked into the nearest classroom, making a point to be fashionably late.

"Need a hand?" Belle looked up to see Ruby Lucas – the prettiest girl in school, known for her questionable reputation but surprisingly honorable reliability. She was smiling kindly as she crouched and began stacking up Belle's books.

"Th – thank you," she stuttered, and Ruby smirked.

"Why do you sound so amazed?"

"It's just – well – nobody really notices me," Belle said quietly, an embarrassed smile on her face.

"Don't beat yourself up about it. Being noticed isn't as awesome as everyone seems to think. Here," Ruby handed Belle her books and stood up, extending her hand, which Belle took.

They stood there awkwardly for a moment, Belle's hand still in Ruby's before they separated, pink in the face. "I should – um – I should probably get to class. I'm already late."

"Screw class," Ruby grinned. "Come on; let's skip."

"R – really? I've never skipped before."

Ruby laughed, but it was a laugh that caused Belle to laugh too, instead of turn pink with humiliation. "You don't say."

"I kind of like to learn," she confessed.

"Fair enough; I could teach you how to fold a napkin into the shape of a wolf," said Ruby, whose grandmother owned the local diner.

Belle smiled at her persistence. "Okay, but only because it's a wolf."

"You like wolves?" Ruby raised an eyebrow.

"I always have," shrugged Belle. "It's been that way as long as I can remember."

Ruby grabbed her hand again and pulled her around the hallway and out-of-sight. "Then what are we waiting for?"